Biobang! 008: “Muir’s Tears/Sexy Soil” Quitmeyer, Alex Hedgpeth, Existential Dread. (feat. DJ Dez + JPOM)


Andy accidentally hops off the DIVA as it travels through the panama canal and ends up stuck in a strange place filled with biologists and weirdness! Giant crystal statues of John Muir’s tears welcome him to gamboa along with guest Alexandra Hedgpeth. She talks about her fascinating research with carbon dating soil, and we go into topics such as how the horrors of nuclear weapons became a surprisingly useful biological tool. Then we are greeted by the Muse of all Scientists, Existential Dread, who helps us (?) question everything.

They plug:

PARCHED Panama research group

https://www.instagram.com/parched.panama/

Valerie Milici’s instagram

https://www.instagram.com/ecologically_yours/

Hosts:

Andy Quitmeyer

Featuring:

Alex Hedgpeth, Existential Dread (Valerie Milici)

Music by:

Dj Dez (https://dezmediah.bandcamp.com/album/beep-boop)

and JPOM (https://jpom.bandcamp.com/)

Subscribe on iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/biobang-the-digital-naturalism-podcast/id1393912055

Get it on stitcher:



ART±BIO Collaborative

ART±BIO Collaborative is an artist and scientist-led nonprofit organization based in Cambridge, MA that fosters the integration of Science, Nature, and Art and is focused on broadening participation and accessibility in the Arts and Sciences through novel collaborations, public engagement, education, and research.  Stephanie Dowdy-Nava, M.A., artist, arts administrator, and art educator and Saúl S. Nava, Ph.D., biologist, artist, and Professor of Biology at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, are the Founders. The ART±BIO Collaborative values diversity, equity, and inclusion and strives to create and develop accessible and collaborative opportunities for historically underrepresented and marginalized communities and populations; their work utilizes the intersection of the Arts, Biology, and Natural History as a catalyst for social dialogue and creative exchange of ideas with artists, scientists, and the public.  As DiNaCon Node Leaders, Stephanie and Saúl will bring an international, core group of ART±BIO Collaborative artists and scientists participating in the ISLAND LIFE: Tropical Field Studies of Art+Nature in Puerto Rico program (IslandLifePR.org) to DiNaCon to utilize the natural habitats of Panama as a STUDIO+LAB.  The Field Studies group will lead an open, Art±Bio public engagement and community outreach event in Gamboa that will creatively highlight the local ecology, herpetology, animal behavior, and natural history of Panama through artmaking, and take DiNaCon participants out of the conference and into the community.  Website: ArtBioCollaborative.org

Marko Peljhan

Marko Peljhan is a theatre and radio director, conceptual artist and researcher. He founded and co-founded several still active arts organizations in the 90’s such as Projekt Atol and one of the first media labs in Eastern Europe LJUDMILA. From 1994 on he worked on Makrolab, a project that focuses on telecommunications, migrations and weather systems research in an intersection of art/science/engineering; the Interpolar Transnational Art Science Constellation, International Polar Year project 417 and the Arctic Perspective Initiative, with Matthew Biederman.  He serves as professor and director of the MAT Systemics Lab at the University of California Santa Barbara, the Chair of the Media Arts and Technology program at UCSB, the coordinator of international cooperation of the SPACE-SI Slovenian Centre for Space Sciences & Technologies and editor at large of the music label rx:tx. In the radio spectrum he is known as S54MX. In 2007 Marko co-founded the unmanned systems engineering company C-ASTRAL, where he serves on the board and at DINACON he will be fielding a long distance flying unmanned system capturing multispectral data for the creation of rapid, daily cartographic and GIS products for the use by the DINACON research community

Margaret Minsky and Oliver Steele

Margaret Minsky creates multimedia artifacts exploring learning, improvisation and thought. Her core research has been in the field of haptic interfaces (computational interfaces that simulate objects that you can touch and feel), as well as educational technology. Recently she has been investigating “Do We Think Differently Upside Down?”, substituting circus trapeze for furniture in the workplace and investigating whether that’s good for our cognitive, social, and physical wellbeing. 
Oliver Steele is a software engineer, technology advisor, and open source contributor. Previously he has been an engineering manager, product manager, and educator at Olin College of Engineering, Apple, Aol, and Nest. 

The Dinacon 1 projects pages show our on-location projects as a team, and as individuals, last year.  Amazing dinasaurs from dinacon 1 returning as node leaders for dinacon 2

Location – 2018

It’s an island in thailand! It’s called Koh Lon.

It’s a large, mostly empty island, off the, less touristy, southern side of Phuket island. The low season for tourism in this area is from May – October, meaning that for our purposes in June and July most places will be a lot more empty and laid back. 

Getting There

Here’s a quick 360 video tour showing you how participants can get to our island!

  1. Get a cab from the airport to Chalong Bay (~1100 baht).
  2. Catch a free Longtail ride to Koh Lon (9am, 12pm, 3pm).
  3. Come sign in to the conference!

Amenities

Our location offers the following luxurious (and not so luxurious) to participants for free! We can house up to 30 people for free at any given time. If the average participant stays for about a week, that means we aim to have around 200 people at this conference overall!

  • Main Bungalow (HQ): can fit 10 folks
  • Campground: Can fit 10 tents and up to 20 folks
  • Kayaks
  • Access to aquatic and terrestrial parts of island for exploration
  •  Local guides available for hire 500thb ( $15 USD )
  • Wifi
  • Three free longtail boat rides per day (travel to the mainland / hauling gear)
  • Electronics, Crafting, and Prototyping Gear (Including: Mobile/Wearable Studios, Robotic arms, 3D printers, Laser etchers, Sensors and actuators of all sorts, yarn.)
  • Additional private cottages available for rent (1500 THB / 48USD with breakfast included OR 1200 THB without breakfast.)

cool.spot #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA


(this shot is on the “campground” in front of the bungalow HQ)

The rest of the island has one other resort, and a small group of 2-3 houses where some local folks live. Otherwise it is pretty much empty and wild. From what we saw there are some plantations/ overgrown plantations / and more fresh looking forest.

It seems that we would have pretty free reign to explore this island and its forests, beaches and mangroves.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Enk5ESDWzzC2

Advantages

One of the biggest advantages of this location is that Tasneem will be based right off the island for the next year (she can see the island looking out her house!). It’s only a 10 minute or so dingy ride to get from the island to the mainland.

Thailand, and Phuket area is quite advantageous in terms of its accessibility for travelers. For international visitors the visa process is easy, quick, and cheap. In Thailand, conference attendees only need a tourist visa as well.

For South-east asian locals travelling here is very fast and not expensive, and for folks further away it’s still pretty easy to get to! People can get a taxi from the airport, and make it to our island in about 1-1.5 hours.

This southern side of Phuket is quite relaxed, not super touristy (and we will be there during the off-season anyway)

Terrestrial Exploration

Here’s a 360 image of some nearby forest exploration (more to come later):

https://theta360.com/s/t1yHSfX40EjvrXNZamWEPM5cS

Outside the house: https://theta360.com/s/fQGtCheTdaFNSSRjde9W8Vw4S

https://theta360.com/s/iCRETcvPgAXCyjdSHBj34yXpc

Inside living room

main living room #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

https://theta360.com/s/t9UVDyZXDdbPKJPUU3IkW9YcG
Near Rain Barrel outside

side of house #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

The island has a couple small resorts on one side, but the whole rest of the island seems to be pretty wild and fun! There are also lots of other little islands around, and some mangrove swamps we can canoe through, explore, and even build our own little monitoring stands. There seems to be plenty of wildlife around, and the tidepools have all sorts of fun critters like octopuses changing colors and textures, pistol shrimp popping, and plants that have calcium skeletons!

Check out some nearby mangrove exploration we did:

Marine Exploration

Tasneem has tons of connections with all kinds of great, caring people who work with large ships (such as Sail in Asia, where she is working). Basing our project here would likely open us up to the whole blue world as well! We met really nice, interesting people with big, luxurious diving ships, and could probably work out some times during the conference where some of the group goes on a multi-day sailing trip!

Daniëlle Hoogendijk

Daniëlle is an international field researcher, environmental educator, paraveterinarian, and soon-to-be tropical forester from the chilly Netherlands. Dani not only documents projects, but uses her skills as an adventurous polymath to help practioners solve problems and fully realize their goals in wilderness contexts.

In dinacon 1, she served as the excellent documentarian capturing everyone’s amazing projects and experiences!

(Monitor dissection photo by Killdall)

Book

Proceedings of the Second Digital Naturalism Conference, Gamboa, Panama (2019)

The Dinacon 2 Book is published!

You can order your own printed copy of this gorgeous 408 page, full-color, A5 sized book full of the projects and reflections of participants from the Second Digital Naturalism Conference in Gamboa, Panama.

Proceedings of the Second Digital Naturalism Conference (Print-$50.16)

Proceedings of the Second Digital Naturalism Conference (Economy Print – $26.00)

You can also view or download digital versions of the entire book for free!

Download the Full High-Res PDF https://tinyurl.com/dinacon2Book

Preview and Download at Archive.org

This book is free to read, download, and share!
If you want to contribute to dinacon and Dinalab.net, we have a suggested donation of $7.00 USD.

We take Paypal, Venmo, Square Cash, Cryptocurrencies and even Credit/Debit Cards! All proceeds help fund future conferences!

Hope you like it, and maybe if it gets you interested in joining us for dinacon next year, you can sign up for our mailing list for future conferences.

Proceedings of the First Digital Naturalism Conference, Koh Lon, Thailand (2018/2561)

The first Dinacon book from Koh Lon, Thailand is also still available for print as well as free downloads!

You can order a print on-demand in two sizes:
Large (A4 Size) Color Print ($28.79)

Small (A5 Size) Color Print ($25.87)

or you can download and print the whole thing yourself on Archive.org

Biomimeticx2

 

This project has been performed in the premises of Dinacon (KohLon, Thailand), Harakka island and the Maj & Thor Nestling Foundation pop-up work space (Helsinki, Finland)

A biomimetic case discovered by Biomimeticx2 (Päivi Maunu and Marko Nykänen) at DiNaCon, KohLon June 2018

 

We have revealed flying tropical carpenter’s bee (Xylocopa latipes) expressing the prominent phenotype with shiny metallic bluish green wings. The ultrastructure of the wings provide vital opportunities for the insect to persist successfully within its niche. Its ultrastructure encompasses meshwork of intercalating, longitudinally and horizontally traversing, cytoskeletal fibers. Those provide structurally and efficiently ingenious resolutions for survival in the most challenging climate and environment.

The erudite ultrastructure of the wing counterparts analogously with the ultrastructural cytoarchitecture of the brush border (i.e. terminal web) in the apical part of human airway epithelial cell, where comparable meshwork of intercalating cytoskeletal fibers occur as in the wings of Xylocopa latipes. On the basis of these ultrastructural cytoarchitectural specifics, we were able to comprise a biomimetic resolution where the crucial ultrastructural cytoarchitecture enables efficacious survival both for the tropical carpenter’s bee and human epithelial cell.

However, architectural establishments like the pillar of the Greek temple built by humans, have not been as efficacious persisting in natural extreme circumstances like the pillar cell in the Corti’s organ of human inner ear. The cell is able to endure intense vibrational forces within the cochlea. Also the pillar cell has the homologous and analogous ultrastructural cytoarchitecture to the human epithelial brush border and cytoskeletal meshwork in the wings of Xylocopa. See the similar pattern of ultrastructural cytoskeletal elements in the micrographs captivated by transmission electron microscope (the counterpart images).

 

Human cultural evolution could not be able to cater the refined flexible and durable architecture as the natural evolution has done. Thus, the comprised biomimetic resolution provides an intriguing and encouraging option to tackle more fruitfully with the dramatic challenges associated with the global climate change, e.g. superstorms.

 

 

The source image displays tropical carpenter’s bee (Xylocopa latipes) 

 

The dorsal part of insect’s left wing is exhibited in the magnification. 

 

The counterpart figure portrays vertically traversing cytoskeletal microfibers associated with the cytoskeletal meshwork (the terminal web i.e. brush border) in the apical part of human airway epithelial cell (pseudocolored transmission electron micrograph of freeze-fractured replica coated with platinum/carbon, magnification x 120,000).  

 

The source image reveals the pillar at the temple of Olympian Zeus (Athens, Greece) and its counterpart, the pillar cell, discovered in the human inner ear cochlea (in the Corti’s organ). The pillar cell has a giant desmosome analogous to the helix below the architrave of the temple pillar, and the cannelures in the pillar portray visual resemblance to vertically traversing cytoskeletal fibers in the pillar cell. The scale bars show remarkable discrepancy expressed here as kilometers. The pillar cell in Corti’s organ is over 330,000 times shorter and a million times thinner than the temple pillar (transmission electron micrograph, magnification x 90,000). 

 

 

 

The Harakka island is displayed in the Winter. The macroworld image pairs (i.e. KohLon in the Summer and Harakka in the opposed season) imitate analogously the extremes in the measures that has also been depicted between the image pairs (the source and counterpart images). 

 

 Still during late March, it was possible to walk on the intact ice from mainland to the island….

 

… However, already in April, the ice was melting away and isolating the island.

 

Flyer for DiNaCon Extension, Visual Art Exhibition in Harakka island.

 

Visual Art Exhibition, Dinacon Extension, was arranged June 12-17 immediately after landing of our flight very early morning at Helsinki back from Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snapshots from DiNaCon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ImmerSea: Digital Naturalism Conference Field Report

Subversive Submersibles, water-adapted augmented reality 

Oya Damla, Kira deCoudres, Adam Zaretsky, Ryan Cotham

Abstract – ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles is water-adapted augmented reality (AR). This included aquatic AR goggles, immersive AR environments and AR submergibles.

ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles are installation experimentations involving creative real time superimposition of re-mashed audio visual overlays onto everyday audio-visual and other sense data for experience alteration and tabulation of reactions. The experiments focused on (1) Eye Candy Disruptors, (2) EcoSensual Synesthesia and (3) Gamification of Risk. Centered around our pop-up sustainable miniature golf course, we designed transmissions and communicated odd augmentations to our immersed and submerged co-artists in the Andaman Sea.

Field Report: IMMERSEA: SUBVERSIVE SUBMERSIBLES DETAILS

We had wonderful experiences doubling our sound and vision under the sea. Kira, Oya, Adam and Ryan formed a temporary collective of multimedia artists, bioartists, psycho-geographers, biologists and free thinkers who collaborated in the ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles node at the Digital Naturalism Conference. We manipulated live feed footage from environmental settings. We designed and built submerged interactive/immersive sound and video wearables for architecturally encasing art installations using site specific sonic and tactile sources. We ran experiments in psychological experience and altered states of semi-consciousness. We dedicated our time on the island to rugged prototyping allowing for flexibility that utilized the ready-made technics we brought, borrowed and found. We incorporated naturally occurring sounds found in the acoustic environment of Koh Lon and build them into our novel device laden suits.

In the mists of a lush tropical island environment, we composed six channel, ‘real’ surround sound for zorb ball immersive experiences and Video Jockey creative misuse of AR software explorations for a hand crafted underwater iPad floatie suit. We detuned, crashed out and mashed up with our sound art, performance art and mad interdisciplinary sciart skillz in the DinaCon Cone of Tropical Geekdom (DCCTG). Underscoring our critical quandary into behavioral, cognitive and queer studies, while relying on our own brand of fringe philosophy, we unpack for you here our experimental designs and the resultant psychoacoustic/psychogeographical analysis of augmented underwater experience.

Yes, we designed submerged aquatic AR environments and underwater AR submergible wearables. ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles made installations of DIY bio-body art experimentation by building mediated exoskeletons and getting in them, in the water. We were receiving creative, real-time and re-mashed audiovisual overlays while in and on the sea. We had that experience of alteration that mocks, and yet joins in, screen hypnosis through gadget love/hate relations. In this field report we include our own qualitative tabulation of reactions from the audio visual occlusion front of mixed reality superimposition. Working from the vantage points of artistic self-experimentation, tech-no-masochism and begrudgingly admitted tech-titillation, the following is our lab book.

What is Hydro Immersive Augmented Reality (HIAR) to Us?

Augmented Reality is a super-imposition of digital media onto the natural world for artificial intimacy. We study Computer aided User Deprogramming Experience (UDX) as well as push-advertisement styled media coersion. Is immersion in the sea a way towards more easily abscessed critique of a common mass obsession? Due to the changing state of the aqueous mind, an undersea, layered-on, disruptor of immersive relaxation may be the ticket towards a reveal of the prosthesis between the blinds of both inner and outer worlds. In other words, we theorize that Underwater AR may provide evidence of cognitive glitch implicit in consciousness (i.e. equating the needless stressor blow out anomie to the thrill of mediated stim seduction excess). Does the fall of alienation through a leisurely addition of social entertainment screens open us to gamified virtual vacation communication as utter surrender?

“We lived once in a world where the realm of the imaginary was governed by the mirror, by dividing one into two, by theatre, by otherness and alienation. Today that realm is the realm of the screen, of interfaces and duplication, of contiguity and networks. All our machines are screens, and the interactivity of humans has been replaced by the interactivity of screens.  … We draw ever closer to the surface of the screen; our gaze is, as it were, strewn across the image. We no longer have the spectator’s distance from the stage — all theatrical conventions are gone. That we fall so easily into the screen’s coma of the imagination is due to the fact that the screen presents a perpetual void that we are invited to fill. Proxemics of images: promiscuity of images: tactile pornography of images. Yet the image is always light years away. It is invariably a tele-image — an image located at a very special kind of distance which can only be described as unbridgeable by the body.  … There is no ambiguity in the traditional relationship between man and machine: the worker is always, in a way, a stranger to the machine he operates, and alienated by it. But at least he retains the precious status of alienated man. The new technologies, with their new machines, new images and interactive screens, do not alienate me. Rather, they form an integrated circuit with me.”

– From Xeorox and Infinity, Jean Baudrillard / Translated by James Benedict

This essay was originally published as part of Jean Baudrillard’s “La transparence du mal: Essai sur les phénomènes extrèmes” (1990), translated into English in 1993 as “The Transparency of Evil: Essays on Extreme Phenomena”, http://insomnia.ac/essays/xerox_and_infinity/

That the near entirety of living human animal populations could be bought off so succinctly with a two thumbed, LCD touch sensitive, tool-being hand to eye sized bauble that bleeps intermittent rewards is a tribute to the era of Homo Rechargerus and the addictive nature of conditioning. Regardless of however trite the reward (the bleep for bleep’s sake or the glow brightness itself as iHearth), regardless how onerous the odds, regardless of how guaranteed the eventual amnesiac economy of loss, this is tech that offers satiation on the installment plan and hence satisfaction for many.

Simply by cataloging the percentage of time spent recharging our handhelds we can tabulate the incremental toll, the hemorrhagic loss of service that our screens take. The moth-like to the light of the screen identity is a relic of the TV years. Identity has now gone beyond the CRT beam hook into the infinite line of LCD glow scrolling (touch sensitive screen) and the audio intermittent reward of Pavlovian ring tones and alerts. The ‘you’ve got mail’ instaSnap Limited Interactivity Extended Reality (ISLIXR) of AR superimposition is the clicker training of the commons.

How and Why are We Using AR?

This project engages with topics of behavioral immersion by connecting environmental and experiential bio-data-tics across human, animal, and technological populations. Here, media manipulation serves to make post-environmental and post-biological post-truth information experientially available, stimulating curiosity and interest previously inaccessible to post-programmed populations (the human, post-human and a-human organismic masses). Initializing User Deprogramming Experience (UDX) for Mashup Remix Mixed Reality (MRMR), we present third or fourth level irony in a time where Kitsch has fallen flat. The layers of bullshit detectable have upped the delayed ante up on Critique. We are still trying to favir pop-regurg-a-purge hypnogogic options to standard immersion. Into which product orientation seminars shall we build satire? What exactly has been left un-gamified? What target has the naturalism to uncover, to reveal, as opposed to make appear less world wide cobwebby?

Our three experimental designs are titled: Eye Candy Disruptor, EcoSensual Synesthesia and Gamification of Risk. This report includes the materials, methods and results of these three experiments. It is our hope, in the spirit of the Digital Naturalism Open Source Public Lab Aesthetics (DINAOSPLA), that the art over data ratio (A/d) will be equal or greater than one. This is of course plus or minus a 3% negsanguineously margin of error for the duration of our unstill life studies.

Immersea Experiment One: Eye Candy Disruptors

Experiment One: Eye Candy Disruptor 

Goals: Through the mediatization of audiovisual fields with Live VJ Blipvert AR in a wearable AR snorkeling suit, we monitor Exposure Therapy to virtual/physical superimposition. The attempt to approach some semblance of mediated saturation, beyond both utility and entertainment was our goal. We were able to modulate variables of visual time alterity and applied repetition media regimes. This confirms with our intention to study the effects of the artistic taking over of the augmented visual and audio field with more Crap than is already available while swimming in the open sea.

Materials: DIY Water Proof iPad, wearable AR snorkeling suit

Methods: Much of our ‘data’ is based on pre-present & post surveys of human performance volunteers focusing on Annoyance, Habituation and Recall as quantitative, qualitative and catatonicative data sets. Qualitatively, we used an all-orificial data set including questionnaires for tabulation. This entails a synopsis of amalgamated qualitative data from all 11-13 of the major collection points or body portals of our voluntary human arts subjects. This survey data was compared to motion analysis of body language tracking video documentation. Use of binaural new age meditation audio with 31% translucent clouds as a control was meant to approximate degree zero samsara experiential authenticity in order to compare the subject reactions to experiential, repetitive, strobic, vaporwavicle, remash noise ratios.

 

 

Results: People had fun! People clamored to be inside the contraption. People craved to swim with a screen in their face, to snorkel in the most lovely sea while looking through a busily augmented screen full of touch sensitive 3d emojis[1] and first person zombies[2] to shoot and three dimensional glitter drawings tracked by space and head movement[3]. The idea was that snorkeling through schools of fish or peeking at anenomes in coral reefs would be reason enough to dispose of the screen. We were wrong, most people want to augment and peer through the screen as often as they can. Instead of non-virtual fidelity, celibate edutainment is the norm.

Future Research: We hope future experiments will include real-time monitored reactions to live blipvert wireless VJ remashed madvertisments. Superimpose motion tracked data collection with specific experimental brain wave stimulating binaural-sextanaural new age automated samsara control variables, and we may score that mind control research grant we always dreamed of. The plan for now is to expand our repertoire into a wider manipulative media range through: percentage of audiovisual augmentation (loudness and field of superimposed vision), speed of editing-jumpcutting, strobic/distorted sonic and signal to noise ratios. should be automated to increase whole brain de-synchronicity and imprint vulnerability. We are still looking for something like real-time giphy world 3D sculpt brush AR jockey software for beaming real time to others in the underwater AR screen spectator faceplant worlding. Perhaps that is something we could seek collaboration for building.

Immersea Experiment Two: EcoSensual Synesthesia

Goals: We are focused on smell, taste, CNS nerve stimulating (touch) and proprioception for this experiment. We created an inhabitable instrument–the semi-submerged wireless human augmented reality zorb ball interface (See image + caption) — to measure sonic arousal in a spherical 360 degree sextanaural sound space.

Materials: We created an inhabitable instrument — the semi-submerged wireless human augmented reality sextanaural zorb ball interface. This included a zorb ball and six waterproof portable MP3 players with six MicroSD cards synched to play our six channel compositions. We composed several six track digital audio compositions. These included six tracks to 6 speakers in the Zorb Ball (Front, Back, Up, Down, Left, Right), as well as experimenting with binaural standing waves in full six channel dimensionality (hence sextanaural sonic space) in a closed and yet N degree of cognitive freedom user movable space.

Methods: In order to transmit the sensual sounds of the island into a semi-submerged human augmented reality zorb ball interface we positioned the waterproof speakers: fore, aft, port, starboard, stern and bow. The six channel sonic compositions are available online mixed and as original six directionally distinct tracks. Made from generated, remashed and digital audio field recordings from the Koh Lon local island ecosphere soundscapes.

You can try this yourself! “Music For Zorb Balls” is the result of a Digital Naturalism Conference Project, ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles. An experiment in sext-o-phonic sound (6-channel 3D omni-directional audio), “Music for Zorb Balls” documents audio tracks created for an immersive media-tastic soundscape while in an inflatable bubble on water. For our purposes, we assigned each directional track to six separate wireless Bluetooth speakers attached to points inside the Zorb ball. The audio can be streamed through any audio-playing device: iPhones, iPods, iPads, iAmASpeaker, Car Stereo Speakers, etc. Try duct taping pillows to friends and slipping their phones on loop into the pillow cases and then modern dance moshing with them while connected to their feet and hands with industrial rubber bands. This may give you the interactive UDX experience that it takes to feel the interface.

The album is free for public access and includes each artist’s contribution to the interactive sound installation. For public replication of this experiment, download each directionally determined track and assign each to individual speaker outputs for the best, most disorienting experience.

To download the full album from Bandcamp, select “Buy the Full Digital Album” but rest assured, the album and all tracks are free! Name your price at $0 (or more!). To download only specific tracks from the album, select the track(s) of choice and select “Buy Digital Track”. FREE. Enjoy!

https://immerseadinacon.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-zorb-balls

The system of zorb-bodies conformed to the human hamster wheel XYZ audio architechture simplot. Our research subjects were floating spherical on the waves of an immersive interface. This six channel Zorb space is semi submerged with user controlled motion and multi sense intensities. This is implicit in most full immersion media heavy, seafaring globes of transparent inhabitation. Our interest in binaural sounds stemmed directly from researching the CIA funded Monroe Institute[4] declassified documents.

Results:

“Being a primary experiment subject contained within the Zorb Ball fulfilled many fetal fantasies of being inside of a techNO-FEAR PROTECTO-SPHERE. Surprisingly, this enclosed experience externalized dissociation in a most dreamy, oxygen-deprived way. The sun beaming down on the Andaman Sea quickly steamed the dream bubble, creating a sauna effect. This, coupled with sonic bombardment from all directions (up, down, left, right, front, back) was immediately disorienting and yet, cacophonously comforting due to cultural familiarity with over-commercialization of experience. It was a clumsy kinetic learning-curve to walk on water, with big Jesus-like footsteps to fill. This tumbling was quite entertaining and meditatively exhausting due to the amount of energy exertion required to move an immeasurable amount in any direction. This cyclical going-nowhere and treading on water must be what hamsters and laborers trapped in capitalist loops feel like. In conclusion, this inverse rebirth was enlightening and recommended for anyone in search of an affixiatingly intense psychophysical re-alignment through mediated reprogramming.”

– Kira deCoudres.

 Future Research: We would like to experiment with waterproof, six channel, acoustic contact microphones that use streaming wifi. Live streaming from six sonic on-ground (or hydrophonic ‘in-water’) contact sites of interest would be fun and analog enough to have a warming mediatationed effect. With the right psychogeographically positioned field station, we could include instrumentation used to collect data that measures arousal, (for instance, a penile or clitoral plethysmograph, a electromyograph for rythym contraction data, Doppler velocimetry penis cuff/sleeve, etc). But there is a limit to the measurement devices available for five kingdoms wide, cross species real time arousal. These interspecies types of inclusive all-phylum arousal economies of fetish measurement devices can be prescient techno-predictors of both the chemistry and early reporter weather predictions[5]. Orgonomic coefficients coincident with ecological forecasting may yet prove that incorporating the sensual psychophysiology arts into climate change studies is a novel use value for our currently sparse interspecies, Kinseyesque, sexual response data and… correlated to climate change… we have even more reasons to cum[6].

Immersea Experiment Three: Gamification of Risk

Goals: This experiment is about what level of virtual overtaking of the ‘actual’ is possible by sudden and incremental alarming risk suggestion. We are looking at demonstrating extreme what ifs, neurotic paranoia and underwater fear factors to induce panic. This is to see if reliance on augmentation is such an addictive autopilot that users are capable of downgrading risk assessment or if danger as a concept can be subsumed by the multisensorial eye candy and responsive ISLIXR HIAR environments.

Materials: Zombie Apocalypse AR software, fake shark fin hat,fear itself and general tropical sea/mangrove/rain-forest fear mongering information sessions for players.

Methods: The intention is to compare notes on the reaction to panic attack inducing threatcasts, with or without augmented reality. Working with the generation of psychotic states or schizogenesis, we combine overlaying the audiovisual experiences of emergencies with actual dangerous or convivially able to be perceived of as dangerous environments such as the Andaman Sea. So, this is predominantly a genre of overlaid media to be explored while at risk of shark attack, drowning, unusual currents, poisonous fish, stinging jellyfish and sea gypsy pirates of the Malay Peninsula. Immersea experimental volunteers were subjected to a media barrage of: flashing lights, loud voices giving orders, mass media styled endless emergency warnings, faux shark attack and crashed, impeded glitch, audiovisual environments.

Results: Actual dangers encountered were: strong currents to nearly drown us, coconuts falling from the sky, jelly fish stinging and oxygen depletion in the Zorb ball as well as AR zombies everywhere. There was a distinct inability for the volunteers to conceptualize a difference between the Gamified Eye Candy and the emulation of mind control fascist depersonalization indoctrination cult tactics. It all seemed like an enjoyable and playful adventure, until the air started running out or the drowning feelings started. At that point, the virtual became secondary to survival, so there is still much to learn before we overcome that urge to stay alive outside of the MRMR XR.

Future Research: The superimposition of a second, generated or algorithmically filtered version of your sense data accruement through your inborn and falsifiably inept orifice input-output economy may be safer than separating the two on competing screens (LCD/Flesh). Commercially available screens are brighter than the in-born filtered (i.e. eyes or nostrils) sense data of the everyday world. Interestingly, we found that digital LCD camera flowthrough screens that are not semi-transparent (like phones or tablets) may be of a higher bodily harm risk than mixed reality helmets or headgear. Semi-immersive gadgets are smaller, brighter, louder, more vibratory and more penile than immersive headgear or wearable environments. Comparing risk assessment artifacts and actual risk of the handheld gadget versus the wearable gadget may be worth looking into further. It does seem that any situation other than life endangering impact crashes or other forms of sudden, potentially fatal, mortal ruin are considered to be most often ignorable in or out of augmented reality. On the other hand, even long, drawn out, miserable pain itself can plausibly always be heightened by the digital.

A final Gamified Risk analysis involves the cognitive effect of the amplification of technological pain along with analog pain. This is a question of the rehabituation of illusory meta-pain in dialogical interplay with brute force. The competition between immersive digital torment and screen based digital torment in relation to bodily (technologically unattached) torment is a Department of Defense (DoD) issue worth pursuing[7]. Perception of risk is a fun and interesting area to analyze when comparing distinct media to the cognitive conception of the unmediated Central Nervous System (CNS). The real money is probably in how much poor risk assessment behavior can be coordinated through UDX AR MRMR DoD & ISLIXR CNS (see Terms Key below) as opposed to other kinds of mind control in terms of fully trained assets and glitching enemy assets.

Sustainable Mini Golf

Simply as a Central Node for ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles at Dinacon, we spearheaded the first ever Sustainable Miniature Golf Course. Nearly on the equator, this might start an equatorial fad, especially with a Biodiversity Banking Theme!

Miniature golf is great low-impact fun especially if it is sourced from local and sustainable materials. Our node hosted a social outpost made from crafted natural golf balls (baby casaba), DIY golf clubs (bamboo and brain coral and conch shells, tied together with coconut twine) and temporary redesign of loosely themed nature. Equatorial Sustainable Miniature Golf Courses are a perfect interface to teach-in about biodiversity, human gene editing and bioethics.

The ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles Equatorial Biodiversity Bank Themed Sustainable Miniature Golf Course was a home base for our node as well as the source-mixing and wireless beaming for our remixed Immersea databank. Beginning with local Koh Lon mangrove, rainforest and coral reef biomes, this minimal impact portable eco-minigolf course houses the qualitative and quantitative ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles library of biodiversity. The ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles Equatorial Biodiversity Bank Themed Sustainable Miniature Golf Course is the AR-VJ immersive transmission station to our underwater ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles Human Subjects Our video, audio, photo and written collection of ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles biodiversity notes have been kept in a water proof lab book; notes and data available by request. We beam our tracks for output into the ImmerSea: Subversive Submersibles Biodiversity Bank Themed Sustainable Miniature Golf Library which functions as a VJ home base for UDX AR MRMR ISLIXR underwater and semi-submerged transmissions.

Let’s talk about how the genes for the natural excesses of exuberant traits in the tropics might be pasted into the human genome. The Public Lab Book includes a tabulation and interpretation of Natural Excesses, Exuberant Traits and BioBanks for Future Human/Nonhuman Germline Hybrid Experiments in Human Inherited Genetic Modification. What do you think the range of possible future bodies is? Which GMO humans should be included in the Transgenic Human Genome Project (THGP)? What can the biodiversity of Koh Lon and the Andaman Sea tell us about the range of potentials, enhancements and options for future human anatomies?

Future of Artistic Research on the Interspecies Physiology of Immersive ArtSci Environments

This is an emotionally deep research process compared to the usual data recording pilot studies. Instead of using the general facial recognition software, eye tracking, blink assessment and live cortisol level monitoring (without a funding dollar spent on gestural, full embodied or any lower body orificial economy explorations), We would like to propose artistic research to amass fuller than standard physiological data spacescapings. Contiguous with our biomediated-popsyche-ecosensual experiential developmental theme, we are striving for an all-body-portal accumulative database. Future research will include anal-tensegrity monitoring as a part of any full physiological observation of our (w)hole organism [assuming this is an organism with an anus]. Along with gene expression patterning over time (including multi generational epigenetic environmental effects) and further collection of tangible and intangible objects from our subcognitive focus groups, we intend to use AI to data mine our UX bioinformatics data swarms to provide further MRMR iterative, permutative and pseudo random artistic nodes for future studies in Artistic Research on the Interspecies Physiology of Immersive DINAOSPLA ISLIXR HIAR ArtSci Environments.

TERMS KEY:

  •  AV = Audio Visual
  •  AR = Augmented Reality
  •  HIAR = Hydro Immersive Augmented Reality (HIAR)
  •  VR = Virtual Reality
  •  VJ= Video Jockey
  •  XR = Extended Reality
  •  ISLIXR = instaSnap Limited Interactivity Extended Reality
  •  UX = User Experience
  •  UDX = User Deprogramming Experience
  •  DCCTG = DinaCon Cone of Tropical Geekdom
  •  UI = User Interface
  •  MR = Mixed Reality
  •  MRMR = Mashup Remix Mixed Reality
  •  DoD CNS = Department of Defense Central Nervous System
  •  DINAOSPLA = Digital Naturalism Open Source Public Lab Aesthetics
  •  A/d = art over data ratio

Thanks to Andy and Tasneem for all the organizational skills and joy of DINACON. We did independent DIY research and fun, wild, hacking together with resultant novel instrumentation for alternate realities. Thanks also to Pat Pataranutaporn and Werasak Surareungchai of the Freak Lab https://freaklab.org KMUTT for generous support and for hosting us to review, presentation and exhibition of our Artistic Research on the Interspecies Physiology of Immersive ArtSci Environments through Eye Candy Disruptor, EcoSensual Synesthesia and Gamification of Risk. Additional thanks to Tentacles Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.  Thanks to Praba Pilar for designing the initial Underwater AR prototype at our Woodstock gridfree residency in preparation for the NO!!!BOT performances at Grace Space in NYC, May 2018. https://www.prabapilar.com/events/nobotnyc

[1] the 3D AR software Giphy World https://giphy.com/apps/giphyworld

[2] ARZombi iOS11/ARKit game https://www.arzombigame.com/

[3] World Brush https://worldbrush.net/

[4] for instance Binaural Beats and the Regulation of Arousal Levels by F. Holmes Atwater, BA,  (Hemi-Sync Journal, Vol. I, Nos. 1 & 2, Winter-Spring 2009) https://www.monroeinstitute.org/article/3002 More information: The Monroe Institute, Binaural PTSD recovery and Astral Projection for military remote viewing and CIA mind Control. P.O. Box 505, Lovingston, VA 22949. Founded and directed by Robert Monroe from 1974 until his death in1995, the Institute held classified contracts with the U.S. Army Intelligence & Security Command (INSCOM) on orders by Gen. Albert Stubblebine. The Institute studied their hemi-synch techniques to see if they could enhance soldiers’ performance and concentration. (Emerson, Steven, Secret Warriors, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1988, pg 103-4) The primary area of research at the Monroe Institute involves using a binaural beat to cause different psychological effects. A binaural beat is created by using stereo headphones with each speaker emitting a slightly different frequency. The result is a tone at the frequency between the two, which allegedly causes the brain to “entrain” on the frequency, i.e. the brain waves regulate themselves to the same frequency.The National Research council evaluated the Institute’s claims that the method could be used to improve learning. (National Research Council, Enhancing Human Performance, National Academy of Sciences, 1988, pg 111-4)  “..located near Charlottesville, Virginia. Bob Monroe, author of many books on Out of Body experiences, has long and close ties with the C.I.A. James Monroe, Bob’s father, if I’m not mistaken, was involved with the Human Ecology Society, a C.I.A. front organization of the late 50’s and 60’s. The Monroe Institute has done research on accelerated learning and foreign language learning through the use of altered states of consciousness for the C.I.A. and other government organizations. Government interest in the more radical research going on at the institute remains only tantalizing speculation. Official classified document storage boxes have been seen at their mail-order outlet located in Lovingston, VA.” – Porter, Tom, Government Research into ESP & Mind Control, March, 1996 THE MONROE INSTITUTE S HEMISYNC PROCESS – Document Type: CREST Collection: STARGATE Declassified: December 4, 1998 CIA-RDP96-00788R001700210004-8.pdf Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96-00788R00170021000THE MONROE INSTITUTE’S HEMISYNC PROCESS “Hemisync is a patented auditory guidance system which is said to employ the use of sound pulses to induce a frequency following response (FFR) in the human brain. It is reported that the Hemisync process can heighten selected awareness and performance while creating a relaxed state. Hemisync is more than this however, and an extensive evaluation is warranted.

[5] This is why we are seeking an antianthropocentric, anthropo-scenic ecologist/ meteorologist device developer to join our team. Please contact vastalschool@gmail.com if you are interested in applying.

[6] See: http://sexecology.org/ ,  https://www.fuckforforest.org

[7] Neurological Manifestations Among US Government Personnel Reporting Directional Audible and Sensory Phenomena in Havana, Cuba, Randel L. Swanson II, DO, PhD1,2Stephen Hampton, MD1,2Judith Green-McKenzie, MD, MPH2,3; et al

Dinnercon: Recipe Book and Foraging Guide

This is a wonderful recipe book filled with foraged and fun ingredients from our time at diancon!

Created by Ahac • Grace • Jennifer • HuiYing • Michelle • Pom

Dinnercon: Recipe Book and Foraging Guide from the Digital Naturalism Conference by Andrew Quitmeyer on Scribd